A sweeping fire ban in place across Bruce County for more than a month has been lifted.
The ban was put in place April 3 in an effort to avoid additional demands on emergency services during the pandemic. It prohibited all outdoor burning, including agricultural and recreational fires.
“The Fire Ban was a safety precaution put in place to protect our volunteer firefighters and their families during a time of uncertainty,” says Bruce County Fire Coordinator Phil Eagleson. “The ban was well respected by residents of Bruce County and was very successful in reducing the number of calls firefighters responded to during the past six weeks.”
“Bruce County municipalities remain in a state of emergency, so it is important that everyone having a fire exercise a heightened awareness of fire safety. If residents do not respect safe burning practices, the Fire Ban may be reinstated.”
While the fire ban brought in by Bruce County Fire Chiefs has been lifted, restrictions introduced by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry banning fires in northern Ontario remain in place. The Bruce Peninsula — municipalities of South Bruce Peninsula and Northern Bruce Peninsula — is a restricted fire zone under the provincial ban.